how to optimize this monk (3.0/3.5)

[relytdan]

ok using the Thri-kreen from Savage Species 222
Goal a Grappler based Monk
books (3.0/3.5) core, completes, no 3rd party or magazine
the character would start out ECL 4 due to the 2 hd and 1 LA, with the first class in Monk.
but would like to see options for this upto ECL 20. thanks

[Cog]

ok using the Thri-kreen from Savage Species 222
Goal a Grappler based Monk
books (3.0/3.5) core, completes, no 3rd party or magazine
the character would start out ECL 4 due to the 2 hd and 1 LA, with the first class in Monk.
but would like to see options for this upto ECL 20. thanks
How much actual Monk do you need in the build? Are thematic matches acceptable? Are PrCs specifically geared toward Monks alright?

[Person_Man]

Can it be Monk 1/Psychic Warrior X? Is homebrew allowed?

[morkendi]

Cobra strike Monk 2/ fighter 4/ dervish. Take versatile unarmed strike to make it count as slashing. Take your grappling feats if you want, but things you can't grapple, you can now full move and flurry with all your attacks. Take elusive target, its an awesome feat for this build. Free trips and such. If I am right without paper in front of me, you have 5 freats at level 6. Should be enouph for improved grapple, vetsitile unarmed strike, elusive target, weapon focus unarmed strike, improved unarmed strike. Cobra strike gives the dodge and mobility for dervish as well as perform dance skill needed. Very monk feeling build with only losing 1 bab and improves on monk greatly. Replace 2 fighter levels with pally, you loose a feat but gain cha bonus to all saves and cha fuels you dervish stuff. You end up with crazy high saves plus have monks evasion.

[Darrin]

Can you ask your DM if Mantis Leap (Sword & Fist) is available? Because... c'mon, it says "Mantis" right there in the name!

If we can figure out how to get Pounce in there (Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian doesn't work well with Monk 7), then consider:

Round 1:
1) First move action to Jump at least 10' at opponent, Mantis Leap makes it a Charge attack, Pounce makes it a full attack, Leap Attack doubles damage.
2) Swift action, Travel Devotion to back up 10'.
3) Second move action to Jump at least 10' at opponent, Mantis Leap makes it a Charge attack, Pounce makes it a full attack, Leap Attack doubles damage.

Rounds 2-10: Rinse & Repeat.

[Ansem]

Ignore what everyone else says....
Take Improved Grapple and Scorpion's Grasp,
Then take Earth's Embrace:
http://dndtools.eu/feats/oriental-adventures--96/earths-embrace--3674/
Critical unarmed damage for every round you pin someone.... You're a monk, your unarmed damage is good....
Combine with Monk's belt and Greater Unarmed Strike you'll do even greater damage!

There you go, You're a grappler that punches their skull in 'till your hand meets the surface beneath it.
Can go into Reaping Mauler as well:
http://dndtools.eu/classes/reaping-mauler/
Getting some of those as bonus feats and pinning for 3 rounds your opponment must make a fortitude save or die because you squeeze him to death :D
Devastating Grapple (Ex): If a 5th-level reaping mauler pins his opponent while grappling and maintains the pin for 3 consecutive rounds, the opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the reaping mauler's class level + the reaping mauler's Wis modifier) at the end of the third round or die. A creature with no discernible anatomy is immune to the effect of this ability
Since you got a good WIS score.....

You bash someone's skull in and if that doesn't do, squeeze it to death, should that fail go back to bashing.....
Where's my kudo's?

[Khatoblepas]

Can go into Reaping Mauler as well:
Reaping Mauler is the worst grappling class ever. It requires Clever Wrestling, which you can only get if you are Medium Size or smaller. Grapplers want to be as large as possible.


Where's my kudo's?

You don't get any Kudos for suggesting Reaping Mauler without the secret ingredient to make it work:

The Leviathan Hunter. (http://dndtools.eu/classes/leviathan-hunter/)

Leviathan Hunter gives you Clever Wrestling at third level, as a bonus feat, allowing you to enter Reaping Mauler with no sweat. Though, this sets you back 3 levels and Reaping Mauler isn't THAT good.

What you want, ideally, is:

(LA-Buyoff)
Thri Kreen 2/Psychic Warrior 18
1) Monastic Training (see, there's your Monk)
3) Tashalatora (To give you 18 levels worth of Monk unarmed strike. Monks belt for more)

Add in Scorpion's Grasp to make a grapple attempt with every attack you do. Thri Kreen have four claws, a bite, and an unarmed strike. Take powers to increase your size (Expansion), the effectiveness of your claws (Duodimensional Claws et al), your grappling ability (Grip of Iron), and to give you extra natural weapons (Form of Doom). You'll be grappling up a storm, and more versatile than you think, as you'd be able to take utility powers as well as your beefing up powers. Plus being psionic fits with Thri-Kreen! You'll be hurting for PP sometimes, though, and I'm not sure how to solve that without the DM throwing books at you.

Trust me, Monk is not what you want, even if you want a Monk. Being "a monk" is basically a level 1 concept, and Psychic Warrior has all the stuff a Monk can do:

Slow fall = Catfall
Wholeness of Body = Body Adjustment
Abundant Step = Psionic Dimension Door
Still Mind = Personal Mind Blank/Tower of Iron Will
Diamond Soul = Doesn't have useless spell resistance
etc

And much, much more! Talk to your DM if you have to, as this may just be a lot more fun and effective than going Monk, without losing any of the flavor of the Monk.

[Ramza00]

Ignore what everyone else says....
Take Improved Grapple and Scorpion's Grasp,
Then take Earth's Embrace:
http://dndtools.eu/feats/oriental-adventures--96/earths-embrace--3674/
So in other words the monk becomes a noncombantant and the creature he is targeting becomes a noncombantant. The rest of the battle is decided by your party and the group of people your party is fighting.

This is suboptimal in D&D.

[LordConcrete]

The sad thing is that he's not only a noncombatant, but most monsters will be larger than you. Good luck grappling anything two or three size categories above you.
And then there's Freedom of Movement.
:smallsigh: If only grappling had more support.

[Sith_Happens]

Ignore what everyone else says....
Take Improved Grapple and Scorpion's Grasp,
Then take Earth's Embrace:
http://dndtools.eu/feats/oriental-adventures--96/earths-embrace--3674/
Critical unarmed damage for every round you pin someone.... You're a monk, your unarmed damage is good....
Combine with Monk's belt and Greater Unarmed Strike you'll do even greater damage!

Earth's Embrace was updated in Complete Warrior and only adds 1d12 damage now. What you want is to dip a martial adept class for Crushing Grip of the Mountain stance, which gives you Constrict.

[Ansem]

So in other words the monk becomes a noncombantant and the creature he is targeting becomes a noncombantant. The rest of the battle is decided by your party and the group of people your party is fighting.

This is suboptimal in D&D.

He wanted a grappler based monk, I give him that.
There are better things obviously, but thats not what OP aimed for.

[Big Fau]

Real grapplers are Totemists, as you can grapple up to 4 enemies at once.